Boston Celtics Gameday: 3 intriguing questions during 76ers series

(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

The Boston Celtics kick off their Eastern Conference playoffs second-round matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers Monday at the TD Garden with 3 intriguing questions. 

The future is now between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.  In what forecasts as just the beginning of a renewed rivalry between two storied franchises, the C’s enter the second-round matchup as the underdogs despite having the higher seed.

Without Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward and possibly Jaylen Brown to begin the series, the Celtics will be going up against a Philadelphia team led by two of the young dynamic players in the game in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.  Primed to dominate for the next decade or more, this young Sixers team has arrived sooner than expected.

In doing so, they have definitely made believers out of what the organization calls “the process.”

The 76ers are suddenly the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference, especially with how easily they handled the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs.  Though the Celtics faced the tougher opponent going up against Giannis Antetokonmpo, the injuries the team has endured could finally run its course against a runaway freight train.

However, this Boston Celtics team can never be counted out.  Led by veteran forward Al Horford and young stars Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Terry Rozier, the Celtics won’t go down without a fight.

How to watch 76ers vs. Celtics online

When:  Monday, April 30, 2018 at 8:00 p.m. ET

Where:  TD Garden, Boston, MA

National telecast: TNT

Live Stream: Watch NBC Sports, fuboTV

Game Notes

Monday night’s game will be the first time the two teams have met in the playoffs since 2012.  The Boston Celtics one that series 4-3.  Overall, it will mark the 20^th time the two storied franchises have met in NBA history.

Projected starting lineup

G – Terry Rozier

G – Marcus Smart

F- Semi Ojeleye

F – Jayson Tatum

C – Al Horford 

In what should be a very entertaining second-round series, here are three intriguing questions facing the Celtics ahead of Game 1 and the entire series.